The Big Chris Barber Band

Creative Quarter Over the Water

Chris Barber’s legacy to the British and European music scene started with a love of 1920s American jazz and blues. Together with Trumpeter, Ken Colyer (who was one of the first British players to make it to New Orleans and play with the “Old Guard” of American Jazz Musicians.)

Chris’s band aimed to reproduce the New Orleans sound as authentically as they could. This became the beginnings of the British “Trad Jazz” scene. After Ken and Chris parted company, Chris and members of his band were also responsible for the introduction of many American blues artists to Britain in the 50s and 60s including Muddy Waters, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee and Sister Rosetta Tharpe.